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Liverpool FC manager Arne Slot is looking forward to Mo Salah’s return
33 minutes ago
Liverpool FC manager Arne Slot will welcome back Mohamed Salah from the Africa Cup of Nations next week and has said he’ll be happy to see the forward.
The Egypt international’s last appearance for the Reds was in mid-December when he came off the bench against Brighton, just five days after he was left out of the squad for his outspoken comments when he questioned his future at the club after claiming he had been “thrown under the bus”.
It was a fractious few days in which there was speculation about the possibility of him leaving in the January window, but that was never a likely prospect and even less so after British-record signing Alexander Isak subsequently sustained a leg fracture.
Salah’s departure to the tournament in Morocco has allowed tensions to cool and Slot was keen to highlight the importance of having him available again, using the word “happy” three times to stress the point.
Ahead of the visit of Burnley, Arne Slot said:
“First of all he needs to play another big game for Egypt on Saturday and then he comes back to us,”
“I am happy he comes back because Mo has been so important for this club, for me.
“Even if I had 15 attackers I still would have been happy for him to come back – but that is not our current situation.”
Slot said they were in conversation with the 33-year-old about how soon he would be available – Liverpool play Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday – after Saturday’s third-place play-off against Nigeria.
He said:
“That is something we are talking about together: what is expected of him over there and over here,”
“First of all he needs to have an important game on Saturday.”
Salah returns to a squad which has been weakened by injuries to Isak and Conor Bradley, who has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
But Liverpool are 11 matches unbeaten – Salah featured in three of those at the start of the run – and a much more stable unit than when the Egyptian departed.
Slot added:
“Ideally it is not 11 games unbeaten it is 11 wins in a row, that’s always what you’re aiming for even if it’s not realistic,”
“But from where we were when we conceded the fourth goal against PSV (their last defeat on November 26) and where we are now I think we are in a much better place.
“There is still enough room for improvement – but there was room for improvement last season when we were top of the league and Champions League in this period of time.”
Liverpool are fourth in the Premier League heading into the weekend, eight points behind Aston Villa and only two above Brentford, and Slot admitted that battle was their main concern domestically.
Slot said:
“We haven’t put ourselves in the most ideal position, especially if you compare it to where we were after six games (they won their first seven in all competitions).
“The reality is we are competing against these teams for the fourth position. There is still a lot for us to play for in the league.”
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